Huwaida Arraf, an activist, pleaded with the soldiers to stand down moments before Israeli soldiers stormed the Handala aid ship. She referred to the Gaza blockade as a war crime, accused Israel of purposefully starving civilians, and explained that the freedom flotilla only carried aid.
As a weeklong heatwave reached its peak with temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) Greek emergency services are battling numerous wildfires.
On Sunday morning, planes and helicopters resumed their work in several areas of the Peloponnese region west of the capital, Athens, and on the islands of Evia and Kythera as they raked in flames.
Around Drosopigi in northern Attica, which is located just 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) north of Athens, were one of the most challenging fronts, according to firefighters.
A house was already alight in Drosopigi as a result of winds of 5 to 6 Beaufort (in the range of 30 to 50 km/h or 19 to 31mph), according to state-run Ertnews TV.
Authorities on Saturday issued a severe wildfire warning, putting several regions on the nation’s highest Category 5 alert due to the scorching and dry weather.
Greece’s meteorological service predicted a heat wave that started last Monday would continue until this Monday.
The Peloponnese region of Messinia had the highest temperature recorded on Friday, according to the National Observatory in Athens, which was 45.8C (114.5F). In Amfilochia, western Greece, the temperature reached 45.2C (113. 4F) on Saturday.
According to the Athens News Agency, 36 vehicles, two aeroplanes, and three helicopters were used to battle the blaze near Drosopigi, which involved about 100 firefighters.
A fire was also raging out of control on the island of Evia near the Attica region of Athens. Two firefighters were taken to a hospital with minor injuries while two fire engines were destroyed.
On the island of Kythera in southern Greece, a wildfire that started just before 9:30 am (06:30 GMT) on Saturday was also out of control.
AC/DC were the inspiration for the name of an unlikely rock legend. 51 years after their founding, the group’s origins are still unknown to fans. As of 2025, the legends behind Thunderstruck and Back in Black are still touring, with this year’s sold-out performance at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh scheduled for.
However, listeners are thrilled to learn about the peculiarity because they are just beginning to understand where the band’s name came from. Fans shared the origin story on the r/ACDC Reddit page, some of whom were so impressed by how the band came to bear their name.
What was the origin of AC/DC’s name, according to a post on the subreddit? I always assumed it to be related to geometry or math. Fans are correcting the listener, which is not true for AC/DC.
According to one user, “Alternate Current/Direct Current, something with electricity,” Angus and Malcolm’s older sister apparently saw it on her sewing machine when they first staged the bands. “
The iconic rock band was founded by Malcolm Young, who passed away in 2017, and his brother Angus, who is now 70.
The “simple suggestion” became the “greatest, most catchy name a rock band can have,” according to another fan, who provided more information. “
Their sister came up with the name after seeing it on her sewing machine, they wrote.
It’s quite funny how Angus and Malcolm were having trouble coming up with a name for themselves, and their sister makes a simple suggestion. It’s the best, most memorable name a rock band can have. “
Since then, AC/DC has verified the name’s origins. When they all started out together, Dave Evans, who was with the band from 1973 until Bon Scott replaced them, said, “Look, my sister-in-law [wife of his older brother, George], has suggested a name… AC/DC. And I liked the fact that it was prominent on the side of many electrical appliances and was simple to remember.
Many appliances were AC/DC, and alternate current and direct current were both used. I pondered: “Free advertising… free advertising on the side of all these appliances, and it means power,” and that’s what I meant. I quickly thought it through. And I agreed. “
Since then, critics have praised the AC/DC brand, which also has a lightning bolt after the first two letters. The band’s logo, which first appeared on Let There Be Rock, would be designed by Gerard Huerta. According to Adam Behr, “[its] type font conveyed the sense of electricity that permeated their name. “
The Australian band has been on tour since the 1970s, and they’re scheduled to play at Murrayfield in Edinburgh in the coming months.
The group’s only UK appearance this year was the group’s sold-out show, which sold out quickly during ticket sales. Here you are in line for AC/DC at Ullevi, one yelled. 22316 before at 10. 00
Stephen Gibb has revealed that the death of Foo Fighters icon Taylor Hawkins affected his dad, Bee Gees icon, Barry, “hard”. The music world was left shocked in March 2022 when it was announced that Taylor, aged 50, had died after complaining of chest pains.
On the day of his death, the drummer was scheduled to play. He was unresponsive when his roommates at the Four Seasons Casa Medina hotel called. He was tragically declared dead at the scene, but emergency services immediately began carrying out CPR.
The day after, it was confirmed following a urine toxicology test that Taylor had 10 different drugs, including THC, tricyclic antidepressants, opioids, and benzodiazepines, in his system. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Stephen, 50, explained how the death had affected his dad, Bee Gees legend Barry.
He said, “I only spoke to him days before losing him; for both my father and I. My dad and I used to speak frequently at the time, Stephen continued. Dad had to work it out a lot. I’ll never understand why some people stay while others must leave. The best was Taylor. The thing is, he was the real deal when it came to rock and roll love.
The 50-year-old musician continued, “He really enjoyed it. He will never be forgotten, and that is not just a result of my song. Because I adored the man, I wrote that song. We had planned to make music, but I won’t be able to do it. A guy should be getting loved on forever, in this brief love letter. One of history’s greatest drummers, he was the real thing, with heart of gold.
He succeeded in his goals, I believe, and I sincerely hope so for his sake. On their self-titled debut album, Stephen and his Kill The Robot bandmates write a moving song called Western Shores.
Stephen quickly discovered who his real friends were as a father, a global icon, and his own. Knowing who your real friends are is is the hardest part of being a big band when The Bee Gees were still very popular, he said, adding that you might have to sacrifice your life to discover who your real friends were, but you do.
“The big misconception a lot of people have is that because a family is famous, it’s somehow not affected by certain things that everyone else is affected by. The fact of the matter is, like most celebrities that I’ve met in my life, are real people that have problems, just like everybody else – it’s just that they have this unimaginable skill or gift that they’re able to bestow upon the world. It comes with a price.”
He followed his father on the road and in the studios as a child, but when he was eight and nine, he realized that not everyone’s father was a singer, let alone a global icon. We used to be a very close-knit, large family, and we would spend a lot of time together, he said, adding that Maurice and his brothers would often host cookouts. I can’t speak for everyone, but many nights after dinner they would gather around and sing their favorite songs to entertain us. This is one of the most powerful memories we have.
I don’t think it became apparent to me until I was a little older how special, distinctive, and influential their contributions were and are. You are the oldest son of a famous man. I was able to identify the qualities that made me most grateful, such as knowing what it looked like and what it required to excel in a field you truly enjoyed. It required total commitment from my dad, all of them.
What might have happened if the Bee Gees had not returned to the UK, which would have made you the greatest thing ever? Possibly nothing. Being a member of a family that has produced something that has, up until this point, outlived them is an incredible gift and honor. That’s becoming more and more uncommon as I age, in my opinion, with each passing year.
He acknowledged that he had a “bit of a chip on his shoulder” as a child due to his father’s fame and that he had had his fair share of challenges and rites of passage. It does make your children’s lives a little more difficult. Fans of Barry’s appearance at their family home when Stephen was a child faced one of these difficulties.
One or two of them joked, “It’s odd, it comes with its odd things, as I’ve gotten older, I work just as hard as anyone else I know that does what I do,” adding, “I’ve had them say they were my real mum, my dad, and they were going to run away together.” No free lunch is provided, no matter whether you’re John Lennon’s or Barry Gibb’s son. It has two sides, one for each.
Your son has a band, does he sound like his father, you ask? People are disappointed that you have your own fingerprint because I don’t, I don’t. For Kill The Robot’s debut album, “That fingerprint left Stephen” terrified and eager. Although he acknowledges that it’s “hard” to get people to like a new band, the album is a labor of love.
He beamed, “We had a lot of fun making this album with some of my best friends,” he said. He hopes the record will appeal to both new and returning fans as well as those who have remained loyal to him over the years. My hope is that once it’s out, people will be able to identify Kill The Robot as a band and find something to fit their style in our music.
On all major platforms, you can stream and download Kill The Robot via Dark Lab Recordings.
Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email frank@talktofrank.com, message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help.
In a tiny, cramped booth nestled away in the BBC studios, a whole host of famous TV presenters kicked off their careers.
Children’s TV show The Broom Cupboard began in 1985, replacing the shaky voiceover and still slides linking CBBC shows with real-life presenters.
Despite its practical beginnings it soon became a hit in itself, with the likes of Phillip Schofield, Debbie Flint and Zoe Ball all forging their famous TV personalities on the show.
Edd the Duck, Otis the Aardvark, and Gordon the Gopher, famous for their iconic costumes, even had letters and drawings printed on the walls of the tiny studio room to add to the fun.
Josie D’Arby is no exception to the trend that many of the programme’s stars have recently experienced. Many of the stars have completely new careers.
Josie rose to fame as a face on the likes of Songs of Praise, Top of the Pops, Inside Out, and Cardiff Singer of the World after her stint on The Broom Cupboard.
The 52-year-old Newport, Wales resident became the youngest British woman to host her own chat show on Channel 5 in 1999, titled Josie.
Josie’s media ambitions didn’t stop there and she soon pivoted to acting, where she starred as Alisha Adams in Holby City and made guest appearances in Casualty and Doctor Who.
She even appeared on Richard Osman’s House of Games and Pointless in 2022, where she competed on a quiz show.
Josie has recently abandoned her job to pursue a career that is beyond the scope of presenting. The artist has been working on her artistic talent ever since, even having her painting in a 2023 show at the Newport Museum of Art.
The BBC star started to take art more seriously after winning a televised art competition, South Wales Argus reports. The painting was called Less, which Josie said was “about how little it can take to make people happy.”
“Art is for everyone, and I’m happy if my piece is just a tiny little reminder that public spaces are places to press pause and take a stroll in a beautiful space,” she said.
Before her TV career began, Josie was rumored to be dating Hollywood actor Gerard Butler, who is best known for his iconic roles in 300, Law Abiding Citizen, and London Has Fallen. In 2005, the pair reportedly had a brief romance.
And Gerard isn’t her only celebrity flame, as Josie reportedly went on a date with actor Joseph Fiennes – the brother of Harry Potter legend Ralph Fiennes – in 2006.
Other Broom Cupboard presenters have a different career path, including Josie. Andy Crane, 61, has been enhancing people’s experiences on Greatest Hits Radio since 2019, and he poses in a completely different way from what he did on the CBBC show.
He currently resides in Lake District, which is picturesque. On Greatest Hits Radio, including The Top 10 at 10 and Midnight Music Marathon, Andy, who was born in the seaside town of Morecambe, Lancashire, plays three hours of the best songs from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
Euro 2025 is almost over, 25 days of football-filled drama.
In the Sunday’s Basel final, England will face off against world champions Spain, who will win their first Euro crown, in a heavyweight fight.
The success of Euro 2025 is unprecedented.
The total number of spectators for the event, which included Spain’s semi-final victory over Germany in Zurich, increased to 623 and 088 over the 574 and 875 set in England in 2022.
That is particularly impressive given that unlike England, Switzerland does not have Wembley and Old Trafford, which have stadiums with capacity of 70 or more, which is unusual.
The final will be held at Basel’s St. Jakob-Park, which has 34, 250 spectators and is the largest stadium in the nation.
Additionally, there are no official standards for the Swiss Women’s Super League, and last year’s attendance was only 569.
When Sunday’s final is taken into account, the total attendance at Euro 2025 will likely exceed 650 000 with the sold-out completion of 29 of 31 matches.
Although it’s a women’s tournament, Laura McAllister, vice-president of Uefa and all of the participating countries, said, “This is probably a breakthrough tournament for Uefa and all of the participating nations.”
Fans have flocked to Switzerland in their twenties to watch the football, as well as the picturesque towns, clear lakes, and breath-taking Alpine scenery.
More than 95, 000 fans have participated in the pre-game fan walks while over one million supporters have gathered in the fan zones scattered around the eight host cities.
20 000 fans showed up in Bern before Switzerland’s quarter-final against Spain, which means a sea of red has flooded the streets for each of their four games.
Fans have been adorned in their country’s colors as usual, but a recurring theme has persisted throughout the tournament, with fans bringing flavor to the festivities with “food war” signs.
Pasta over pasta Fondue and paella. over currywurst, jason.
Just a few of the clever food-related comments that were printed on homemade signs served as fuel for the playful rivalries between the fans.
Switzerland’s commitment to providing free public transportation to games for those with tickets has also helped supporters.
Some fans displayed signs that read “women’s football is here to stay” in what turned out to be Switzerland’s final game of the tournament, when they were defeated by Spain by 2-0.
The hosts first-ever to reach the quarter-finals captured national attention.
Home fans poured into stadiums and roared in Pia Sundhage’s side as they stayed strong after the quarter-final defeat to thank the players for their contributions throughout the tournament.
Puma, a Swiss company that manufactures kits, reported that it sold seven times as many Swiss shirts as it did during the Women’s World Cup in 2023.
After Spain defeated Switzerland, Sundhage said, “I am very, very proud of Switzerland.”
It has been “phenomenal,” “once in a lifetime feeling, and it’s very emotional,” according to the people who attended the games.
More than I had imagined, I thought.
